Annunciator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. PEGARSED. ANNUNUIATOR.

No. 430,735. Patented June 24, 1890.

, w 5y H 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. P. GARSED.

ANNUNOIATOR.

Patented June 24,

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT P. GARSED, OF NORRISTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

ANNUNCIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,735, dated June 24,1890.

Application filed June 19, 1889. Serial No. 314,884- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT P. GARSED, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inAnnunciators, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings to more clearly set forth the device.

The object of my invention is to produce a compact, easily made andadjusted, and a cheap and durable annunciator, whose simplicity ofconstruction and operation and easy of repair makes it at oncedesirable. Besides being novel in many of its parts, it relates as wellto improvements on my patents, Nos. 384,144 and 389,378. These objectsare accomplished by, and my invention consists in, certain novelfeatures of construction and in combinations of parts, more fullydescribed hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the annunciator, showing air-tubes thereforand one of the number or indicator plates dropped. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation with the sides of the casing removed to show the operatingmechanisms. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are respectively top, bottom, and rearviews of the annunciator-case. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line a:as, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a front view of the main air-chamber, with thevalves and depending eXpansible bodies removed and the lower portion ofthe chamber removed, showing one of the restoring-levers and itsoperating-rod. Fig. 8 is a similar side or edge view. Figf9 is a rearelevation of the main air-chamber, showing two valves and chambers, therestoring-levers being removed. Fig. 10 is a detail section of one ofthe valves and its depending expansible bodies. Figs. 11 and 12 aredetail views. 7

A represents the hinged sides of the an G, which bell or gong is rung bythe influx of air to bellows G, which, rising, causes an attached metalrod G having a flexible band at its upper end,to rise with it, and theband being wound around a shaft carrying a toothed wheel, with pallets(and a hammerrod with head G attached in turn to them) gearing with saidwheel. The bell is struck by the revolving of the shaft and wheel andthe consequent vibration of the hammerhead, as will be understood fromsuch a well-known construction.

G are the brackets holding the alarm-operating mechanism to support thebell, and G' is the wooden box covering such mechanism. Thebell-supporting board in turn is fastened to the front of the top partof the back board of the annunciator-case. It willbe seen that anybell-sounding mechanism can be applied to the device.

F are inlets to the main air-chamber, on which the valves H are screwed.These valves have a back inlet H, a side outlet H and a bottom outlet Hand are coupled to the air pipes W at their back inlets.

F are journal-bearings integral with the main air-chamber, and therestoring-arm pivots I pass through them. I are such restoring-arms.They have a vertical pivotal motion in restoring the number-plates J totheir first position. They are bifurcated both front and back of theircrosspiece.

K are the number-plate levers. Theyhave a shoulder K at their head endto hold plate J in place, and are pivoted by brackets L, through whichthey pass, to the rear of the number-board B of the device. Thesebrackets L are made in one piece with ribs L, haw ing opposite holes forthe passage of pivots L. They also at their lower part have a projectionand a hole for a screw to hold the fiat spring M in place, which springreturns the lever K to position after said lever is pressed upon by thebellows N in the operation of the device. These bellows are flexible,and either expand or collapse as the air enters or escapes from them,and at their upper part are held to valve H by a flangedconnecting-piece with thread, as shown, the hole N for passage of airthrough the flange being very small, for purposes as will be referredto. The flanged connecting-piece N at the bottom of beltoo ' makes saidbellows at 'this part air-tight, as

well as guiding it in its bearing upon lever K, and its length beingonly equal to the thickness of the bifurcated end of said lever,

. compactness is here gained in the construction of the device.

P are brackets on the main air-chamber, by which it is held to thenumber-plate board B. These brackets have a space between them, in whichthe restoring-rod (1 works either up or. down. This restoring-rod, beingattached by pins to the restoring-arms I through the slot, as shown inFigs. 2 and 7, when moved upwardly returns the hinged number-plates totheir first position after they have dropped to show the point fromwhence the device has been operated, the turned-up points of theserestoring-arms being suited to bear against the rear of saidnumber-plates.

R are the case or gaging brackets for the four inside corners of theannunciator, and are so made that the top E and the bottom T of thedevice are held to the back frame S, from which it is never necessary toseparate them, and the horizontal arms of these brackets with turnedends gage the distance to place the number-board B, beneath the top E,to allow space for the number-plates to rise and fall. They also giveabetter bearing to said number-board at its extremities.

U is the top bracket, and V is the bottom bracket of the case to hold itin position on a wall or other suitable place. They are made each of onepiece, the top one having a uniting cross-bar and upturned ends toreceive wall-screws, the bottom bracket being made,

} as shown in Fig. 4:, with downwardly-turned ends next the wall. Itwill support the case in position on said wall, hold the sides A inplace, when their screws may be removed in the adjustment of theapparatus, and hold the board B in place by supporting its foot 13,whether the sides A be off or on. The downwardly-turned bifurcated ends,resting on screws, serve the first purpose. The laterally-projectingparts V serve the second purpose, while the horizontallyprojecting partsV support the number-board B in place whether the sides A be off or on.The glass 0, Fig. 2, it will be seen, may be put in or taken outedgewise from either side of the annunciator, when a' forward part ofthe sides A are removed, as the grooves E and D are open at their ends.They are unseen when said sides are on.

The back S of the annunciator-case is made with an oifset s and narrowerat its upper part, not only in size to suit the bell apparatus to befastened to it, but to allow the upturned parts U of the top bracketroom for fastening to a wall without taking up more room than the lineof the sides A of the devices. There are openings S in the back S,through which the ends of the pipes or conductors WV pass to connectwith the valves H within the case, and also within a suitable distanceof the edge of this back (see Fig. 3) it is fluted to suit the thicknessof the conductors W and allow them to pass without projecting beyond theline of the rear face of said back. This allows free adjustment of andnon-pressure to the pipes or conductors when the case is in place. WViththe pipes in or out of position parts of the device may be removed, whennecessary, without taking the back with its attached bottom and top fromtheir place upon a wall. This feature of the device is highlyadvantageous. The flute of the back extends to the lower edge of bottomopening S, as indicated by dotted lines 00 ac, Fig. 5.

The operation of the device is as follows: Air being forced through apipe W in any of the well-known ways from a certain room, story, 8m, itenters the valve H through its back inlet H. attached to that pipe, andgoing into bellows N inflates the same and depresses the inner end oflever K, causing its outer end to rise, with the effect that itsnumber-plate J falls from its upright position (in this case No. 3,Fig. 1) and indicates the place of operation. During this operation theair has also raised the plunger of the valve H and passed through outletH into the main air-chamber F, which to a desired distance is hollow, asindicated by dotted lines in Figs. 6 and 7, and by its connection withthe bell mechanism (see Fig. 2) raises bellows G, which in any of thewell-known ways may sound an alarm. Simultaneously with this action theplunger of the valve 11 has fallen unsteadily, although by gravity, toits first position. The plunger, thus prevented from regaining its seatquickly, allows some escapement of air within the chamber, and it almostregains its normal condition by the time the device has been operated,and so becomes self-regulating in such operation, it being understoodthat were these plungers quick to regain their seats and there were noescape for the air within the main air-chamber the bellows G would becontinuously distended and the device would not be operative to its fullextent.

In the operation of the deviceit will be understood that the plungers ofthe valves not operated by air from their pipes WV are supposed toremain upon their seats, that the air in the main chamber may not byentering through the outlets H of these valves cause their bellows todistend and their number-plates to drop, which is not wanted. Theescapement of air by a return course through the plungers of the valvesnot operated by air from their pipes in a small measure does, however,take place, because of the air being in motion and jumping, as beforestated,within the main chamber, which draws these plungers from theirseats, and to obviate the entrance in this way of enough air to theirbellows to cause their numbers to drop, the small holes N, instead oflarge ones, are made through the flanges before referred to, as the airwill better escape to the larger openings in the back outlets II to thepipes. The flat spring M, held in place as shown, presses at its upperend upon the under side of the inner end of number-lever K and keepsitengaged with the number-plate J, allowing also by its elasticity of themovement of said lever when operated. hen any or all the number-platesare down, they may be restored to position by pushing upward theprojecting end of the restoringrod q, Fig. 2, after which said rod, bygravity,

with its attached restoring-arms, returns to its first position. Whenthe sides A are in place, it will be seen that the grooves that hold theplate (J in place are covered; also, that said sides maybe opened eitherway upon their hinges when necessary to get at any part of theapparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Lctters Patent, is-

1. In an annunciator, the combination of the vertical back board orframe having one or more transverse openings for the passage of thetubes and being reduced or fluted upwardly and centrally from the saidapertures to receive said tubes, the top and bottom boards secured tosaid back board, the securing-brackets secured, respectively, to saidtop and bottom, the number-board parallel with said back and secured tothe top and bottom, a glass front inclosing sides, and the operatingmechanism for the number-plates.

2. In an annunciator, the combination of the back having a transverseopening and longitudinally fluted on its rear face upwardly from saidopening, horizontal top and bottom boards secured to said back, thenumberboard between said top and bottom, the inclosing sides and front,the number-plates and operating mechanism therefor, said back having areduced upward extension, and the bell and operating mechanism carriedthereby, substantially as described.

3. In an annunciator, the combination of the back frame, theforwardly-extendin g horizontal top secured thereto, the parallel bottomboard secured to the lower end of said back, the vertical number-boardin a distance in front of the back and secured to the said top andbottom and having a forwardly-extending foot at its lower end, the frontglass movable between the top and said foot, the sides having hingeddoors behind the num- .ber-board, and the box above and carried by saidtop to inclose the audible alarm.

4. In an annunciator, the combination, with the back, top, bottom, andnumber boards of the case, of the internal braces respectively securingthe back, top, and number board and the back, bottom, and number boardtogether, the exterior supporting and securing brackets on said top, andthe single integral supporting and securing bracket on the bottom of thecase, substantially as described.

5. In an annunciator, the combination, with the indicating and operatingmechanisms, of the case inclosing the same, consisting of the back, anumber-board, the top covering the same, means for seeurin g the casecarried by said top, a bottom board secured to the lower ends of saidnumber-board and back, the sides of the case, and the integral bracketsecured to said bottom having arms projecting beneath the number-boardand sides and with bent inner ends to engage supporting means. 6. In anannunciator, the combination, with a slotted or perforated number-boardand the series of number-plates hinged to the front side thereof, ofmeans to normally hold said plates raised, a main air-chamber secured tothe rear side of said board, inflatable bodies carried by said chamberto separately operate said means to exhibit the number-plate desired,and the air-tubes, substantially as described.

7. In an annunciator, the combination, with a number-board andnumber-plates hinged thereto, of means normally holding said plates inreadiness to exhibit the same separately, and a main air-chamber securedto said board and provided with lateral tubes or valves and inflatablebodies carried by said valves, each arranged when inflated to operatesaid means to drop a number-plate, and the air-tubes, substantially asdescribed.

8. In combination, a support, the swinging number-plates, each platebeing provided with means for normally holding it raised, an infiatablebody for each plate provided with an air-tube and arranged to operatesaid means to drop the plate when inflated, an air-chain ber into whichsaid bodies discharge, an audible alarm-operating mechanism, and aninflatable body, into which said chamber discharges, adapted to operatesaid mechanism, all arranged substantially as described.

9. The combination of the number-board, the normally-raised swingingnumber-plates hinged to the front thereof, an air-tube for each plate,each connected to throw down its.

plate when an impulse of air passes through the same, the mainair-chamber secured to the rear of said'board and with which said tubesare connected, and the alarm operated by the air in said chamber,substantially as described.

10. The combination of the number-board, the swinging number-plates onthe front side thereof arranged in vertical series, means to separatelythrow down and display said plates, the vertically-swingingrestoring-levers for said plates pivoted at their inner ends to asuitable support in rear of said board with their free ends extendingthrough the board beneath the plates, and the vertical opcrating-rodjoined to said levers by a slot and pin to swing them vertically, as setforth.

11. In an annunciator, the combination of ranged and operating asupport, the vertically-swinging normallyraised number-plates, anairchamber, an audible alarm operated by the air in said chamber, anair-tube for and to operate each number-plate, and a valve for each tubehaving a reduced opening through which the air to operate thenumber-plate passes, and a larger valved opening into said chamber,arsubstantially as described.

12. In an annunciator, the combination of the number board, the swingingnumberplates hinged to the front side thereof, a holding and releasinglever for each plate pivoted to and extendin g through the board, andeach provided with a spring for yieldingly holding it in position, aninflatable body for each lever, an air-tube for each body, and a mainair-chamber into which said bodies discharge. 13. The combination, withthe name-board and index or name plates hinged thereto, of the main airchamber, the audible alarm mechanism, an expansible hollow bodyconnected with said chamber and operating the audible alarm mechanism,releasing mechanism for each plate, the separate expansible bodiescarried by and connected with said chamber for each number-plate, andthe tubes connected with said last-mentioned bodies.

14. The combination of the number-board, the swinging plates carriedthereby, the main vertical air-chamber secured to the rear side of saidboard, the expansible flexible body into which the upper end of saidchamber discharges and connected with and adapted to operate the audiblealarm, and the series of hollow expansible bodies to operate said platesconnected with the air-tubes and separately discharging into saidchamber.

15. In an annunciator, the combination of the main air-chamber havingsecuring and supporting feet, and lateral journal-lugs, the number-boardto which said feet are secured, the number-plates, restoring-levers forsaid plates extending through the board and journaled on said lugs, theholding-levers for said plates, the valves secured to and opening intosaid chamber and carrying hollow expansible bodies bearing on saidholding-levers, and the tubes opening into said valves.

16. In an annunciator, the combination, with the main air-chamber andaudible alarm mechanism operated by the air therefrom, of the lateralvalves carried by said chamber and opening into the same, eachcontaining a reciprocating valve and carrying a hollow expansible bodyinto which the valve opens, the reduced inlet from said valve into saidbody, and the side opening into said valve for the air-tube, a swingingnumber-plate, and a holding-lever therefor operated by said expansiblebody.

R. P. GARSED.

Witnesses:

J AMEs P. EWELL, CHAS. L. HENRY.

